Spc. Daniel Arshadnia puts the heat on some veggies at the US Army Culinary Arts Competition.Spc. Kenda Miller/US Army

Getting ready to under take a big holiday meal this Easter or Passover? There’s no one better to advise harried home chefs than an Army cook who’s made a name for himself by whipping up top-notch slop for hundreds of soldiers at a time.

Spc. Daniel Arshadnia, who hails from Lawrence, LI, is not your stereotypical Army cook. The 22-year-old has already broken the Army’s chow-hall mold, a dining experience most people imagine as slabs of spongy meat swimming in grayish gravy.

But it was his sautéed chicken breast with portobello mushrooms and truffle oil, risotto, pan steamed asparagus and red pepper coulis, that wowed the judges this year at the Army’s prestigious Culinary Arts Competition, where he beat out about 30 other military chefs.

To be fair, Arshadnia, a Food Service Specialist with the 854th Engineer Battalion based in Kingston, NY, is a ringer: He holds a degree from the Culinary Institute of America.

Q: What’s the most important advice you can offer someone about to prepare a big holiday meal?

A: Make something you’re comfortable with. Don’t try to make something that’s too hard and it turns out like garbage.

What foods are easiest to prepare and serve for Easter or Passover when you’re expecting a large group?

For 25 or 30 people, I would recommend a roast of some kind. A large turkey or rib-eye roast is fairly simple. For Easter dinner, I’d probably have a bone-in ham, a turkey, pumpkin pie, sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes.

What’s your suggestion for a simple side dish?

For the average person, using mashed potato flakes may be the way to go. There’s nothing easier to put together.